Ahh.....summertime!

Ok...so this weekend is the "unofficial" start of summer. Now my question is when exactly was that thought last fun for you?!!!? In all honesty summer is just one more of those things that loses its allure as we age. So darn unfair!

Frankly, I'm a week out from my daughter getting out of school for the summer and I'm already in panic mode. Having a child has definitely made me a fan of year round school! I think I would enjoy my time with her so much more a few weeks at a time rather than a three month chunk! Please don't doubt that I love my child but my child is a posterchild for ADHD. She has energy that I can't even begin to fathom let alone figure out how to productively reign in for three months so she has fun and uses that little brain of hers for good! I mean one can just get tired watching the child! I remember a few years ago we were trying to figure out why Princess Bear (PB) kept on getting a bluish tint about her lip. She was 2 or 3 at the time and frankly cyanosis wasn't a happy thought. We had a pulse ox monitor at home and would hook her up when the bluish-ness appeared. For the most part her numbers were in range. The pediatrician then started talking heart or lung disease but I digress...not the story I was going with here. One night we did hook PB up to the Pulse ox and the numbers weren't in range...actually almost scarily out of range so off we go to the local ER. Now even in spite of what apparently is going on PB hasn't even thought of slowing down. We're in the ER and she is striped down to her Stride Rite tennies and a diaper. Is the child wanting to be held or resting? Heavens no! She is wondering around the room. Up and down off of the gurney. Then deciding that a short walk is in order (You know you've spent too much time in the ER when the staff knows you!) No one was phased by PB out for a little jaunt! The resident came in to ask some questions and watched PB for awhile. She then looks at me and says "She's just fascinating to watch". Ok....now if that isn't the most PC way of saying "Dang your kid is really off the hook" I don't know what is!

Now can you understand why the next 3 months are striking a bit of fear in my heart? Oh well, I'm strong and I will survive!

On to other fun things...this past weekend has been a case study in no matter how hard I try I will just never quite measure up or make my family happy. I was given a command performance to babysit my nephew for this past Friday night. I really don't mind since I adore the little guy but being asked is a nice approach. Anyway, PB and I arrive and get the down low from my sister. Now let me say that Tyler is my sisters first child, my sister is a definite type A personality and is raising him by the book. She and my bil go to obscene lengths to follow his schedule. I did mention that since he was going to be asleep when the left he might not do well should he awaken. After 4 trips from the basement to the top floor I finally said enough with this noise....this kid isn't going back to sleep and brought him down the the basement. He was a seriously unhappy kiddo. He was tired and mommy and daddy weren't there. Didn't matter that the beloved Aunt Sarah was (& I really am the beloved Aunt Sarah!). He cried and screamed for 45 minutes (he has a bad case of separation anxiety that has been getting worse). Somehow without losing my ever loving mind I got him through the crying jag and no one including myself and PB were any worse for the wear. I then put him in his bumbo chair and let him watch some Kipper with PB (Friday night was PB introduction to TV on Demand and PBS Sprout...to say she's in love is an understatement!). At one point during the screaming I considered calling my sister but decided to let her enjoy her dinner. I guess as a single mom who has absolutely NO life (I can count on one hand how many movies I've seen in the theater and how many nights I've had out with friends since having my daughter and still have a few fingers left!) that I can have a lot of empathy for a mom wanting to enjoy a dinner out. I decided that there was no point in calling my sister just so the precious schedule could be followed. I thought it was a better thing for her to enjoy a dinner out. Honestly its not like a schedule can be ruined in one night anyway. Well my sister came home and saw Tyler awake and just lost it. I explained that I did the best I could to get him back to sleep but it wasn't happening and that I decided to let her enjoy her dinner anyway. Instead of a thanks I really appreciate the opportunity to get out I got a guilt trip on how the rest of their evening was ruined and she obviously could never go to dinner again. AAAUUUUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Can someone just shoot me know?!!? I tried talking to her a little later as well as yesterday afternoon only to get the cold response of "I don't want to talk about it" Ok...did I really do anything that wrong?!!?

Then we were supposed to go there for a cookout yesterday but since PB was running a fever of 98.9 we were asked to stay home. I wasn't this crazy as a first time parent but my mom keeps on saying it was because there were other agendas involved. Perhaps but who knows!

PB and I had a low key day today. We made a double batch of Bath bubble jello jelly and did some serious one on one time. Candyland Bingo abounds! My child hasn't quite gotten the whole good sport thing. After mommy won a couple of rounds she decided to play by herself. The child cracks me up to be sure!

Anyhoo~ I'm gearing up as summer is now upon us. I'm trying to get back into using my control journal and becoming more organized. I was also looking through my copy of Saving Dinner and deciding if I could try that at home. PB has made a lot of progress since her days of only eating hot dogs, mac n cheese and yogurt but I don't want to push it! I tried creamed tuna over toast tonight. You should have seen the look on her face. The first dozen or so bites went down fine and then it was just like "Mommy please! No more!" Never a dull moment to be sure!